The eternal search for glory has always caused great despair and unnecessary rivalries between people. After all, it was glory that resulted in the killing of the indigenous peoples of America by European settlers, glory that persecuted Spain’s Muslims and Jews during the Inquisition, and glory that led millions of Chinese to starve in withering fields during the Cultural Revolution. In the context of this disillusionment, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Buried Giant criticizes the hunger for glory; Wistan, the warrior of the text, drives the English people towards their dreams of a better future through a respect for tradition, rather than for selfish desires. On the other hand, Warrior Beowulf concerns himself with the present- for example, the action of the dragon burning down his house is a direct offense. Ishiguro’s book responds…show more content… Although both The Buried Giant and Beowulf conclude in a prediction of war, the future which Ishiguro implies is in a controlled chaos. In it, Wistan will no doubt assume rule of the Saxons, and King Arthur’s and Lord Brennus’ supporters will rise up against them on the Briton side. For the Geats, however, the death of Beowulf creates an unfulfillable void, which leaves them ripe for attack from the surrounding areas. From previous foolish actions on behalf of the Geats, we know their relationship with the Swedes to be strained, especially after the killing of their king, Ongentheow, in battle by Beowulf’s predecessor Wulf. Understanding the implications of Beowulf’s death, Wiglaf, his lone accomplice on the final mission to slay the dragon, makes the following remark:
So this bad blood between us and the Swedes, this vicious feud, I am convinced, is bound to revive; they will cross our borders and attack in force when they find out that Beowulf is dead.
